Chain link



C. D. SHETH CHAIN LINK Nov. 12, 1968 Filed May 25, 1964 INVENTOR. OSHE/7;!

Arrow 6y United States Patent 3,410,085 CHAIN LINK Chinubhai D. Sheth,Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Eaton Yale & Towne Inc., a corporation ofOhio Filed May 25, 1964, Ser. No. 369,750 4 Claims. (CI. 59-84) ABSTRACTOF THE DISCLOSURE Each side portion of an'open chain link is forged to athinner and deeper section that projects into the link opening, but notoutwardly from the link periphery. The side portions more effectivelyaccept the bending stresses incidental to load, strengthening the link,yet the inwardly projecting sections are somewhat spaced so that theycannot transfer stress to one another. Thereby the link achievesadvantages of a stud link without a fault of a stud link.

This invention relates to chain links, and more particularly to a novellink that will better accept the forces that may be imposed upon it.

As an important feature of my invention, I form a chain link withopposed side portions that will very effectively resist bending due totension on the chain. In more detail, each side portion of my novel linkhas a sectional shape that is relatively deep in the plane of thebending stresses, while being relatively thin as compared with endportions of the link. The depth of the sections is achieved throughparts that exent into a central opening of the link, but that are inspaced relation to each other so that there will be no direct transferof stress between the side portions of the link.

As another feature, I form my novel chain link with side portions thathave improved micro structure. More particularly, each side portion isforged to a sectional shape that differs from its original shape. As afurther important feature, a forged portion of my link may comprise aweld that was made incidental to manufacture of the link.

I have thus outlined rather broadly the more important features of myinvention in order that the detailed description thereof that followsmay be better understood, and in order that my contribution to the artmay be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features ofmy invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form thesubject of the claims appended hereto. Those skilled in the art willappreciate that the conception on which my disclosure is based mayreadily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures forcarrying out the several purposes of my invention. It is important,therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalentconstructions as do not depart from the spirit and scope of myinvention, in order to prevent the appropriation of my invention bythose skilled in the art.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 shows a portion of a chain utilizing my novel link,

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of one link,

FIG. 3 shows a longitudinal section on the line 3-3 in FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 shows a transverse section on the line 4-4 in FIG. 2,

FIG. 5 shows a front view,

FIG. 6 shows a blank utilized in forming my link,

FIG. 7 illustrates some effects of chain tension on a conventional link.

Referring now more particularly to FIG. 2 of the drawing, my novel chainlink is indicated generally by the numeral 10, and includes opposed endportions 11, 12 that are connected 'by two side portions 13, 14 so as toenclose a central opening 15. It will be appreciated that the link 10will be formed while at least one adjoining link is engaged in theopening 15, but to show my invention more clearly I have omittedadjoining links from FIGS. 2 to 7. The link 10 is substantially flatand, as best seen in FIG. 5, its outer periphery may have a usual ovoidshape extending in a straight line along each side portion 13, 14 andover rounded surfaces on end portions 11, 12.

Each side portion 13, 14 of my novel link has a particular sectionalshape that is thin as compared with the section of the end portions 11,12, and that lies in the plane of the link. Further, the thin sectionalshape has an inner part 16 extending intothe link opening 15, increasingthe depth of the side portions 13, 14, in the plane of the link. Whilebeing relatively thin, each side portion 13, 14, nevertheless may have asectional area that is substantially equal to the section of endportions 11, 12. As will be seen in the drawing, the inner parts 16 ofthe link sides are in spaced relation to each other so that a portion ofthe central link opening 15 extends between the side portions 13, 14,and there will be no direct contact that will allow a transfer of stressbetween the side portions 13, 14.

Further, the inner parts 16 of the side portions 13, 14 contributesurfaces 17 that are in opposed relation to transverse grooves 18 formedby the end portions 11, 12 of the link. Those surfaces 17 will beeffective to confine an adjoining link relatively to each end portion11, 12, as shown in FIG. 1.

To fully explain the advantages of my novel link, I shall first callattention to the fact that in forming the link I may very readilyutilize a blank 10a, FIG. 6, which is a simple and conventional fiatlink. The blank link 10a may be made in a manner that is customary inthe industry, utilizing a length of metal 19 that has a substantiallyuniform cross section, and that is bent to ovoid shape and connected atits ends by a weld 20. Thus, the blank 10a has end portions 11, 12, andopposed side portions 13a, 14a, the latter portion 14a including theweld 20.

The side portions 13a, 14a of the blank 10a, FIG. 6, merely need beforged to form the side portions 13, 14 of my novel link 10, FIGS. 1 to5, and in so doing the weld 20 naturally will be forged also. Therebythe metal in the side portions 13, 14 of my link will have better microstructure, and there will be a breaking up of certain types ofinclusions that might cause failure of the link. Moreover, the weld ofthe link will be proven, and a weak Weld may be detected before thechain is put into use.

It is important to know also the manner in which a usual chain linktends to deform when a load is applied to the chain. That tendency isillustrated in an exaggerated way in FIG. 7, in which I show link sideportions 13b, 14b that have become bent toward the longitudinal axis ofthe link, due to chain tension indicated by the arrows 21. Through theforming of my novel link 10 in the sectional shape I have described, theside portions 13, 14 have a relatively deep section lying in the planeof the bending stresses. Moreover, the side portions 13, 14 haveimproved micro structure. Thus, each side portion will act veryeffectively to oppose the bending stresses that it must accept.

Since the side portions 13, 14 are in spaced relation to each other,they can not rupture due to a direct transfer of stresses between them.In addition, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the sideportions 13, 14, by resisting bending, will more effectively opposedeformation of the end portions 11, 12. Should there actually be imposeda load that does cause bending, that bending will take place in the endportions 11, 12, merely causing the grooves 18 to set more effectivelyon the contour of the adjoining links.

I believe it will now be understood that I contribute an extremely novelchain link that is quite simple while having considerably greaterstrength, and that can be made at low cost. Moreover, a chain utilizingmy links will resist tangling, and will substantially maintain its chainpitch even though subjected to considerable strain. I believe,therefore, that the very considerable value of my invention will beunderstood, and that its merits will be fully appreciated.

I now claim:

1. In a chain link of the class described having end portions forengaging adjoining links at opposed ends of a central opening, and twoopposed side portions integrally connecting the end portions, theimprovement that comprises each side portion formed to have a graduallyreducing thickness while extending from each end portion of the link,the depth of each side portion increasing in a corresponding manner soas to maintain in the side portion a sectional area that willeffectively accept stresses between the end portions of the link, arelatively thin medial section on the side portion, an inner part oneach relatively thin medial section in opposed relation to the innerpart on the other medial section and extending into the central linkopening, said inner parts lying in spaced relation to one another sothat the central link opening extends between said parts and the sideportions of the link cannot directly transfer stresses to one another,and the depth of each side portion of the link increasing solely in adirection toward the link opening, so that the link may have a regularand unobstructed peripheral outline.

2. In a chain link of the class described having end portions forengaging adjoining links at opposed ends of a central opening, and twoopposed side portions integrally connecting the end portions, theimprovement that comprises each side portion formed to have a graduallyreducing thickness while extending from each end portion of the link,the depth of each side portion increasing in a corresponding manner soas to maintain in the side portion a sectional area that willeffectively accept stresses between the end portions of the link, arelatively thin medial section on the side portion, an inner part oneach relatively thin medial section in opposed relation to the innerpart on the other medial section and extending into the central linkopening, said inner parts lying in spaced relation to one another sothat the central link opening extends between said parts and the sideportions of the link cannot directly transfer stresses to one another,one

side portion of the link comprising a weld, and the material of the sideportions of the link being forged to form said side portions, the forgedmaterial including the material of the weld.

3. In a chain link of the class described having end portions forengaging adjoining links at opposed ends of a central opening, and twoopposed side portions integrally connecting the end portions,the'improvement that comprises each side portion forrned to have agradually reducing thickness while extending from each end portion ofthe link, the depth of each side portion increasing in a correspondingmanner so as to maintain in the side portion a sectional area that willeffectively accept stresses between the end portions of the link, arelatively thin medial section on the side portion, an inner part oneach relatively thin medial section in opposed relation to the innerpart on the other medial section and extending into the central linkopening, said inner parts lying in spaced relation to one another sothat the central link opening extends between said parts and the sideportions of the link cannot directly transfer stresses to one another,and said inner parts of the medial sections approaching within adistance relatively to one another that is less than the thickness ofeach end portion of the link, so as to confine at one end portion of theopening of the link a similar link that may be assembled to thefirst-mentioned link.

4. A link construction as set forth in claim 3, together with each sideportion of the first-mentioned link and its thin medial section havingan outer surface extending in aligned relation to outer surfaces of thelink end portions so that the peripheral outline of the link may beregular and unobstructed.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,072,614 9/1913 Hodges 59351,948,349 2/1934 Hall 5935 1,971,512 8/1934 Stahl 5935 2,895,290 7/1959Devonshire 5990 FOREIGN PATENTS 16,953 7/ 1909 Great Britain.

CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner.

GENE P. CROSBY, Assistant Examiner.

